Breakthroughs To Cures

Gaming can make the world a better place. I truly believe it. Hats off to Jane McGonigal, a game designer and future forecaster, for creating an online idea-generating game designed to change the way we think about medical research. http://info.breakthroughstocures.org + http://www.iftf.org

Diamond Anniversary

Rob Bates's opinion piece in JCKOnline on Diamond Trading Company was insightful. Many thanks. http://www.jckonline.com

The competitors to the DTC actually made the DTC more professional. It turns out competition is good for us as well.
- Varda Shine
http://www.debeersgroup.com

Inside Job

The interview was insightful. Many thanks to Linda Tischler. A must see movie. http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/sony/insidejob

Global Business BBC

Small start-ups are learning how to build global organisations from day one of their existence. Peter Day explains.

Useful links:
http://www2.quickstartglobal.com
http://umee.tv
http://www.clearcellgroup.com
http://www.monumentalgames.com
http://www.ecommera.com
http://www.javelingroup.com

Christmas Book From Neiman Marcus

The 2010 Christmas Book from Neiman Marcus has been released. Take a look. http://www.neimanmarcus.com

Nobel Peace Prize 2010

Liu Xiaobo, an impassioned literary critic, political essayist and democracy advocate repeatedly jailed by the Chinese government has won the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. Congratulations. http://nobelprize.org

Josh Kaufman Story

Josh Kaufman was spot on. Today's MBA programs may be teaching many worthless, outdated, even outright damaging concepts and practices. I think self education may be the answer. Why not give it a try? This may change your life forever. http://personalmba.com

Art Market Update

A man who reinvented his persona. The Pierre Guillaume Clovis Gauguin story. Gauguin, Maker of Myth at Tate Modern and continues through January 16, 2011. Many thanks to Souren Melikian for his insightful essay.

Useful link:
http://www.tate.org.uk

Nobel Literature Prize 2010

Mario Vargas Llosa, one of the most acclaimed writers in the Spanish-speaking world has won the 2010 Nobel Prize in literature. Congratulations. http://nobelprize.org + http://www.mvargasllosa.com

Census Of Marine Life

The world's first comprehensive Census of Marine Life—past, present, and future—has been released. Take a look. http://www.coml.org

William Albert Allard

Allard is a brilliant documentary photographer. He reveals memorable stories behind most of his captivating photographs. They are simply natural and straightforward. Take a look. http://www.williamalbertallard.com

Contemporary Art Festival 2010

London's contemporary art season is officially under way so visit http://www.friezeartfair.com + http://www.tate.org.uk for an immersive experience.

Riba Stirling Prize 2010

MAXXI, the National Museum of XXI Century Arts in Rome by Zaha Hadid Architects has won the RIBA Stirling Prize 2010. Congratulations.

Useful links:
http://www.zaha-hadid.com
http://www.architecture.com

PMGsecure

A secure, off-site data storage system for transactions of repurchased precious metals and gems. Take a look. https://www.pmgsecure.com

Camille Seaman

Camille Seaman is an award-winning photographer who captures striking photos of icebergs. Take a look. http://www.camilleseaman.com

Timeless Investment Classics

Great many thanks for the insightful post. Pick up a copy of The Intelligent Investor. You won’t regret it. http://seekingalpha.com/author/joseph-l-shaefer

Rare Earth Minerals

Rare earth” refers to a collection of 17 elements from the periodic table, with Star Trek-sounding names like holmium, europium, neodymium, and thulium. They tend to be found together, and exhibit similar chemical properties that make them useful — and in many cases vital — for a whole host of high-tech applications, such as superconductors, magnets, and lasers. Rare earths are essential ingredients in many emerging “green” technologies, including wind turbines and batteries for electric cars. A lot of advanced U.S. military hardware, including tank navigation and naval radar systems, also depends on rare earth-based components. Overall an useful summary. Many thanks to Patrick Chovanex.

Useful link:
http://chovanec.wordpress.com

Printing Facebook

I liked it. http://printingfacebook.com + http://benjaminlotan.com

The Eternal Borgezie Diamond Stilettos

A brilliant design by Christopher Michael Shellis. According to the House of Borgezie website, a pair of diamond stilettos retails from £100,000 or $155,000 and comes with a 1,000 year guarantee. Durability guaranteed. Take a look. http://www.borgezie.com

The Heist Series At Film Forum

A three-week series at Film Forum celebrates the brightest and noirest of crime movies. Don't miss. http://filmforum.org

The Clarity Project

Fair diamonds + gems + metals. Take a look. http://www.the-clarity-project.com

Dinner With Henry

Dinner With Henry is a rare, 30-minute documentary about Henry Miller. A unique total internal reflection. http://www.ubu.com/film/miller_dinner.html

Random Thoughts

It's not unusual to come across collectors in the Bay Area who have 20 to 25 pieces of Henry's jewelry. It's not unusual for a woman to be sitting in a restaurant, wearing a piece of his work, and have someone walk up and say, 'That's Henry Dunay.' It's that distinctive.

- Donald Spak
http://www.shreve.com

So true.

Contemporary Jewelry Design Group

Stories about designers + retailers + fashion trends + book reviews and much more. Take a look. http://www.cjdgjewelers.org

Conscious Capitalism Institute

Knowledge hub for the Conscious Capitalism movement. Take a look. http://www.cc-institute.com

Jewel Tube

A unique video sharing platform for the jewelry industry. More information at http://www.jeweltube.com

The Mortdecai Trilogy

Kyril Bonfiglioli's "The Mortdecai Trilogy", is a set of three crime novels starring a charmingly snobbish art dealer, originally published in the 1970s. A must read.

David Hockney: Fleurs Fraîches

Artwork in its original digital format. http://www.hockneypictures.com

Wanderlust Hotel

A brilliant concept hotel. I liked it. http://wanderlusthotel.com + http://www.designhotels.com

Marin Sawa Project

Hidden beauty of algae. http://www.marins.co.uk

Random Thoughts

He’s a young man, and at 33 years of age, this is the greatest accomplishment of his professional career. I take pride in knowing that he brought something into our family business that will be the keynote of our success. I cannot imagine acquiring anything more rare or important than this stone, which is perhaps the rarest of three red diamonds in existence today between 3 to 5 cts. People tell me it should be worth in excess of $50 million—a 3 ct. red stone sold for $25 million. But, I can’t duplicate it because it’s so rare, so there’s no way to put a value on it. I can put a value on my home because there are plenty of homes to compare it to—I can establish its value within 20 to 30 percent, but with this stone, it’s really whatever someone is willing to pay for it.

- Michael Kazanjian
http://www.kazanjianbros.com

Spot on.

Nick Veasey

X-ray photos were stunningly beautiful. http://www.nickveasey.com

Random Thoughts

We live in a world where more and more elements are becoming privatized, meaning that they belong to someone. I am looking to find ways to work within this reality and to allow for privately owned and publicly accessible places and services where everybody gains.

- Kerem Halbrecht
http://www.72hoururbanaction.com

Spot on.

The United States Kimberley Process Authority

More info on Kimberley Process certificates ++ https://www.uskpa.org

Pilobolus Dance Theatre

Startling mix of humor, invention and style. http://www.pilobolus.com

A Brief History Of The Art

A short history of Op-Ed illustration, featuring art that has appeared over four decades. Op-Ed at 40 Great many thanks to NYT.

Tony Curtis

RIP Tony Curtis. A true legend. http://www.tonycurtis.com

Global Business BBC

How do companies generate new ideas? And how do they turn those ideas into products? In Global Business Peter Day talks to Vijay Govindarajan for details. Check it out. http://www.vijaygovindarajan.com

Chris Rainier

In search of tattoos. Simply beautiful. http://www.chrisrainier.com

Mumbai Film Festival 2010

12th Edition. New initiatives. http://www.mumbaifilmfest.com

David Alfaro Siqueiros

The Autry’s new exhibition, features more than 100 works and materials drawn from archives across the continent, exploring the life and work of David Alfaro Siqueiros, one of the most important artists of the 20th century. Don't miss. http://theautry.org

Catfish

An interesting documentary. http://www.iamrogue.com/catfish

Trikoton

Voices into clothes. I liked it. http://www.trikoton.com

Deep Blue Sea

Deep Blue Sea, by Australian Master Milliner Ann Maree Willett, is a lavish fantasy of hand-blocked Australian wool felt, awash with swaying feathers and bejeweled with 26 gem-quality Australian opals weighing 1447 carats. Take a look.

Useful links:
http://www.annmareewillett.com
http://www.bonhams.com

Random Thoughts

What Masdar really represents, in fact, is the crystallization of another global phenomenon: the growing division of the world into refined, high-end enclaves and vast formless ghettos where issues like sustainability have little immediate relevance.

- Nicolai Ouroussoff
http://www.masdar.ae
http://www.fosterandpartners.com

Spot on.

White House Diary

These are the thoughts of Jimmy Carter. The book gives a sense of what is like to be president. http://www.whitehousediarybook.com

Project 10 To The 100

Take a look at the winners. http://www.project10tothe100.com

Fuseproject

Brilliant designs. Hat's off to Yves Behar. http://www.fuseproject.com

Random Thoughts

Very expensive women’s jewelry is almost a man’s symbol of ownership. We have a way to go before men are wearing 25 carats around the neck ... unless they are the gigolo and the reverse has happened to them.

- Theo Fennell
http://www.theofennell.com

So true.

Gary Hamel Viewpoint

Brilliant essay. I think each of us has a stake in making the world a better place.

Useful links:
http://www.garyhamel.com
http://blogs.wsj.com/management
http://blogs.hbr.org/haque
http://www.havasmedialab.com

Building The Future Of Film

New ways of telling stories. Take a look. http://www.futureoffilm.org

Carl Kleiner

Beautiful + Minimalist. http://www.carlkleiner.com

The Great Contemporary Art Bubble

A timely documentary on the gallerists, collectors and auction houses. http://www.benlewis.tv

Pantone Fashion Color Report

The report is available at www.pantone.com/spring2011.

The Social Network

A story about the founders of the social-networking website, Facebook. http://www.thesocialnetwork-movie.com

Modernist Cuisine

Nathan Myhrvold, the former CTO of Microsoft, has self-published a six-volume, two-thousand-four-hundred-page, six-hundred-and-twenty-dollar cookbook. Take a look. http://modernistcuisine.com

Film Power 100

The full list. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/sep/24/film-power-100-full-list

Random Thoughts

Because we have recently begun to find ourselves so unable to get things done, we tend to look with a certain overidealistic yearning when it comes to China. We see what they have done and project onto them something we miss, fearfully miss, in ourselves” — that “can-do,” “get-it-done,” “everyone-pull-together,” “whatever-it-takes” attitude that built our highways, dams and put a man on the moon. These were hallmarks of our childhood culture. But now we view our country turning into the opposite, even as we see China becoming animated by these same kinds of energies. I don’t idealize China’s system of government. I don’t want to live in an authoritarian system. But I do feel compelled to look at China in an objective way and acknowledge the successes of this system. That doesn’t mean advocating that we become like China. It means being alive to the challenge we are up against and even finding ways to cooperate with China. The very retro notion that we are undisputedly still No.1 is extremely dangerous.

- Orville Schell
http://orvilleschell.com
http://asiasociety.org
http://www.thomaslfriedman.com

Spot on.

Plain Space

An account of work-in-progress. A John Pawson project. Don't miss. http://designmuseum.org + http://www.johnpawson.com

Born Entrepreneurs, Born Leaders

A very important book. It's about what our genes can tell us about ourselves. http://weatherhead.case.edu/faculty/profiles/profile.cfm?idDM=327769

The Paris Review

The new website looks different. I liked it. http://www.theparisreview.org

Shakespeare At Your Fingertips

Brilliant idea. I loved it. http://www.masterpuppettheatre.com

Duchess Of Windsor Jewels

Exceptional jewels & precious objects once owned by Wallis Simpson, the infamous Duchess of Windsor, will hit the auction block at Sotheby's in late November 2010. Take a look. http://www.sothebys.com

Russia's Treasure Of Diamonds And Precious Stones

A rare photographic record featuring listings and photographs of the Russian crown jewels is up for auction. http://historical.ha.com

The Drops Of God

An on-going comic series with wine its subject matter. It teaches readers enough about wine in an entertaining way. http://www.chateau-le-puy.com + http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadashi_Agi

Epic Of The Persian Kings: The Art Of Ferdowsi’s ‘Shahnameh’

The Economist was spot on. The 'Shahnameh' is crowded with moral tales about incompetent or brutal rulers who could provide lessons for the country’s leaders today. Don't miss. The exhibition will be at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, until January 9th 2011.

Useful link:
http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

The Future Of The Book

Brilliant. I loved it. IDEO has released a video with three concepts of how the book could work in a digital age. Introducing: Nelson, Coupland, and Alice. Take a look. http://designthinking.ideo.com

Jeweled Monopoly Set

A unique Sidney Mobell Collection. Mobell is known for his fanciful and innovative employment of everyday household items as works of art. Visit Museum of American Finance on October 15, 2010. Don't miss this event.

Useful links:
http://www.thesidneymobell.com
http://www.moaf.org

You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger

Superb cast. Entertaining. Provocative. I must confess I'm a fan of Woody Allen movies.

Useful link:
http://www.sonyclassics.com/youwillmeetatalldarkstranger

Gravity's Loom

Simply beautiful. Amazing colors. http://ball-nogues.com/#project-10

Ralph Lauren Fine Jewelry

Interesting lifestyle concept. Take a look. http://www.ralphlauren.com

Global Business BBC

Interesting review on the so-called Intelligent Grid. Many thanks to Peter Day.

Useful links:
http://www.britishgas.co.uk
http://www.nationalgrid.com
http://www.trilliantinc.com
http://www.foet.org
http://www.accenture.com
http://www.microsoft.com
http://www.alertme.com

Secrets Of The Moneylab

A brilliant book on behavioural economics and its applications. The stories are presented in a credible way. http://www.secretsofthemoneylab.com

Kings Of Pastry

Chris Hegedus + D.A. Pennebaker expose the punishing training and personal sacrifices that go into becoming a pastry champion. This is a must see documentary.

Useful links:
http://kingsofpastry.com
http://phfilms.com

Seeking Perfect Entrepreneurs

Seth Priebatsch’s story in the New York Times was brilliant. I loved it. Great many thanks to David Segal for sharing the story.

Useful links:
http://www.scvngr.com
http://www.hypomanicedge.com

Jade Bazaar

Khotan’s jade bazaar is a great place to test gem identification skills. Many thanks to Andrew Jacobs for sharing the story.

Jade has no meaning for our culture, but we are thankful to Allah that the Chinese go crazy for it.
- Yacen Ahmat

Perhaps it’s psychological, but as jade rubs against the skin it becomes smoother and softer, and the wearer becomes happier, which probably improves their immunity.
- Wang Shiqi

Random Thoughts

I think in the rest of life, you have to practice the right decision-making process. You have to be skeptical in many cases of conventional wisdom. And you have to be able to do what Kipling recommended—which is to keep your head when all about you are losing theirs. And that’s a wonderful quality for an investor or a corporate executive to develop.

- Charlie Munger
http://www.poorcharliesalmanack.com

So true.

Nikon Small World 2010

The Nikon Small World competition, now in its 36th year, attracts entries from around the world. Take a look. http://www.nikonsmallworld.com

An Evening With The Blues: The Hope And Wittelsbach-Graff Diamonds

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity indeed. http://www.roskingemnews.com

Cheryl Dunn

Cheryl Dunn’s new documentary, Everybody Street, was simply wonderful. I loved it. Many thanks. http://www.cheryldunn.net

Momo's Art Project

I thought Momo's creation was brilliant. http://momoshowpalace.com

GIA Gem Project – Edward J. Gübelin Collection

See it all at GIA Gem Project website + http://www.palagems.com

Art Market Update

Souren Melikian's viewpoint in the New York Times about the 25th Paris Biennale was interesting. Many thanks.

Useful links:
http://www.bdafrance.eu
http://www.brimodelaroussilhe.com
http://www.didieraaron-cie.com
http://www.orientalbronzes.com
http://www.richardnagy.com
http://www.applicat-prazan.com
http://www.orfevrerie.be
http://www.galeriekugel.com
http://www.canesso.com
http://www.lesenluminures.com

Random Thoughts

I hate studio. For me, studio is a trap to overproduce and repeat yourself. It is a habit that leads to art pollution. Nothing new happens. You don’t surprise yourself. You don’t put yourself in situations to risk.

- Marina Abramovic
http://marinafilm.com
http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/965

Spot on.

Russian Alexdantries

Dr. Karl Schmetzer has produced the definitive gemological reference book on Russian alexandrite. Check it out.

Useful link:
http://www.schweizerbart.de/publications/detail/isbn/9783510652624

Drew Struzan

The Art of Drew Struzan. http://www.drewstruzan.com

Learning By Playing

Sara Corbett's opinion piece in the New York Times about video games in the classroom was interesting. Many thanks.

Random Thoughts

The distinction between the internet' & books is totally totally arbitrary, and will disappear in 5 years. Start adjusting now.

- Hugh McGuire
http://hughmcguire.net

So true.

Rough Marketers

Avi Krawitz's opinion piece in Rapaport on diamond mining companies was interesting. Many thanks for the insightful comments.

Useful links:
http://www.gemdiamonds.com
http://www.petradiamonds.com
http://www.debeersgroup.com
http://eng.alrosa.ru

Dice For Change

A brilliant concept that aims to change people's behaviour in a playful way. I really liked it. http://diceforchange.com

Imme van der Haak

Body-distorting jewelry. http://www.immevanderhaak.nl

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2010

The National Portrait Gallery has announced the shortlist for this year's Taylor Wessing photographic portrait prize. Check it out.

Useful link:
http://www.npg.org.uk:8080/photoprize

The New Brighton Archeological Society

It’s a wonderful story. Check it out. http://newbrightonsociety.com

J.W. Currens Jewelry Collection

Best of J.W. Currens. http://www.jwcurrens.com

Cities For People

A brilliant manual from Jan Gehl. http://www.gehlarchitects.com

French Laundry Cookbook

A Thomas Keller concept for fine dining.

Useful links:
http://www.frenchlaundry.com
http://www.perseny.com
http://www.jamesbeard.org

Medical Bracelets

Wear a medical-alert bracelet. http://www.medicalert.org + http://www.tiffany.com

Luke Johnson Viewpoint

Inspiring and insightful. Great many thanks. http://www.lukejohnson.org

World's Largest Chocolate Bar

Take a look at Grand Candy Company's 4410 kilogrammes (9702 lbs) chocolate bar. Let's go to Armenia. http://www.grandcandy.am + http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com

Smithsonian-inspired Jewels

A rare glimpse of some of the interesting jewels found in the Smithsonian's National Gem Collection. Take a look. http://newsdesk.si.edu/releases/jewelry-inspired-smithsonian-collections-offered-qvc